More than Painful
by Rui Amano
Summary: A night shared between a fox and a deity. One-shot KxB fic


A/N: I know both characters might appear OOC but what can I do? I just can't help writing them ^_^! Anyway, this is my first try at KB fic. I hope I did well :'3 Enjoy reading!

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It was one of the days where the gang enjoyed a vacation in Genkai's temple. After having a little party and barbecue everyone went to their respective rooms that Yukina and Genkai prepared for them, although they would have to share with one another of course. Hiei immediately left the place after he politely declined to Yukina's offer for him to stay for the night but truthfully he was just staying on one of the branches there near the temple. He was just thankful that trees were quite abundant in this place. Yukina then went to her room where Botan, Shizuru, and Keiko had gone earlier. The guys were using a vacant room just across the girl's room where four futons, pillows, and blankets were prepared.

"So she was expecting him to spend the night here with us, wasn't she?" Kurama said as he noticed the four sets of futons prepared for them.

"Are you referring to that shrimp Hiei?? Why would Yukina want him to stay here? He's a dangerous man!" Kuwabara started blabbering.

Yusuke gave out a meaningful chuckle in which Kurama understood and he smiled sheepishly as well. Kuwabara was eyeing the two of them.

"Wh-what?? Is there something I don't know?? Why do you always go like that when it's about Hiei and Yukina?" Kuwabara asked suspiciously.

"Of course not Kuwabara! Why would we hide something from you??" Yusuke answered as he continued to laugh.

"Oi, Urameshi whats the meaning of that?"

"C'mon, it's nothing..." Yusuke said still laughing and Kuwabara can't help but to get annoyed, so he threw a pillow to Yusuke that landed right straight on his face.

"Hahhaha…there bull's eye!"

"Wh-what the...are you starting a fight?" Then Yusuke got up to get a pillow and the two started some pillow fight. Kurama was fixing his bed as he was too tired to play with them.

"It seems you two won't be able to sleep unless you have some kind of a brawl." Kurama said lazily.

"Why don't you just join us Kurama? It's fun! And party isn't complete without a pillow fight. I wish Keiko and the others are here as well to enjoy it! Hiei probably might enjoy it too- yeaawww…hey watch it...oi.." Yusuke said as he received a whack from Kuwabara.

"Oh, if that guy was here, he'll probably just slice up all the pillows and not to mention us. That guy doesn't have any sense of fun in his system! Bwahahaha..." Kuwabara cut him.

"Yeah but no thanks. I'll probably just sleep now and kindly keep it low you two." Then he slipped on his blanket and lay on his side, his back facing them. He chose the spot near the wall.

After a while, everything then went silent. The two pillow fighters were plastered on their jumbled beds, who probably fell asleep out of exhaustion but they're peacefully sleeping. Now it was Kurama's turn. It seems the fox guy wasn't really asleep at all. How could he when there's some wrestling happening just at his back? He turned to face the ceiling now and he gave out a sigh. He can't sleep. He decided that he will just take a walk on the shore for a while. He thought he might be able to relax there until sleep would take over him.

He got up carefully so he won't wake up the two. He slowly slid the door open and quietly got out of the room and slid it close. He took a quick glance on the room just across theirs. "They're probably sleeping now as well." He nonchalantly walked through the corridors to get to the main door but as he was putting on his shoes he noticed something. Someone's shoes were also missing. "One of the girls..." he thought.

He went out of the temple and was heading for the shore now. "Genkai's place is really nice and relaxing. Good thing that there is a shore near the temple aside from the abundance of trees." He wondered through the night but he was also thinking of who might be wondering in the middle of the night too. "It might be Shizuru, maybe she went out to smoke." Then there he was. He could smell the sea and as he neared on the shore his body began to feel relaxed. "That was quite refreshing." And more than that, the sea wasn't only bringing tranquility to his body but also a food for his eyes. It was such an astounding view as the moon blanketed the pool of black sea. It was so peaceful and calm...until he noticed the slump figure sitting on a rock not far from where he stood. He slowly and carefully approached it. He recognized it immediately, that freely flowing sky blue hair only belongs to one person. Although she didn't keep it in its usual ponytail this time he was still sure it was her but something wasn't right.

"Is that a sob? Is she...Botan? Are you all right?" He can't help but worry. He can't bear to see a girl cry especially this one as he was not used to seeing her even sad.

He moved closer to the upset grim reaper wondering what caused her sorrow. He sat beside her on the rock maintaining some spaces between them.

"Kurama?!" She could barely see with her foggy eyes and the dark of the night but she knew from his voice that it was him.

"What are you doing here all alone and crying? It doesn't suit a girl like you, Botan."

"Well...I'm sorry if it doesn't suit me. If you don't want to see me cry then you might as well just find some place and leave me alone!"

There was a pang in her tone as she said that and Kurama suddenly became clueless of what to do."She must have been so hurt as to act that way but why?". He really doesn't want to see a girl cry but he can't just leave her here all alone. "Ironic..." he thought.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way. If it could ease you, you can tell me what's bothering you." He said ruefully.

Botan knew that he was sincere when he offered to listen to her woes but she couldn't just tell him what's been bothering her...not yet.

"No Kurama...I can't." Botan said feebly. He felt another pang bit him with these words. It's like as if she became suddenly cold towards him. He got more worried. "What could be her problem? Something that could make her cry like this but still she cannot tell it? How could I help her...as a friend? Or rather...Am I not good enough for her to share her troubles? That...maybe..." he felt quite bitter thinking these thoughts.

"If that is so then, I believe you prefer to be alone. I'm sorry again for intruding, Botan." But just as he was about to stand up, the weeping deity suddenly toss herself on his chest and burst out crying even more. He was quite startled as he lost his balance and fell on the ground dragging her towards him.

It was quite a fall. The rock they were sitting was at least two feet high but before they hit the sand, he automatically wrapped his arms around her to protect her from getting hurt. And they hit hard on the sand but actually it was him who caught all the impact. He was still groggy from lack of sleep but now he felt awakened because of that fall. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Botan safely cushioned on his body with her head buried on his chest still crying. He doubted she even noticed that they had fell and the awkward position she brought him into but then he was becoming even worrier and sort of paranoid. What has he done to make her weep like this?

He helped her sat down as he was beginning to feel edgy on their lying stance; so much as he wanted for them to stay that way. Her crying seems to get even harder. Botan can't help but bury her face on her hands as Kurama seemed to push her away from his chest. At the back of her mind, she thought "Decent as ever!" As Kurama held her crying form he can't help but feel broken as well. Of all the girls he could witness to cry, why her? Why does it needed to be her?

"Are you alright, Botan? Are you hurt somewhere?" He asked to kill the tension he was feeling.

"Kurama, please! Don't...don't leave me! Please, just stay..." she managed to mutter this between her sobs. Kurama was having a hard time to look at her but he composed himself and managed to fake a smile.

"Very well then...I'll stay...and if you don't feel like telling me what's bothering you, I understand. I will not be begging you to stop crying but I hope my presence brings you comfort." He wanted so much to make her stop crying, to hug her and ease her pain but he doesn't want her to feel that he was taking advantage of the situation or her. He just kept it inside and watched her as she shed tears.

Kurama isn't really used to seeing Botan so sad like this. Although there are times where she might cry, it wasn't as serious as this one. He felt quite useless but he knew Botan didn't intend for him to feel that way. He just felt like that. She was always there for them. She is always a good friend ready to help them in any situation they may be in. She can even risk her life just for the sake of her friends and even when she is hurting she will hide it and always keep a smiling face. But now he felt rather incapable almost feeling like being less of a man. He can't help her. Why couldn't he ease her pain? Why couldn't he do something to one of the closest girl to his heart? Just why?

"Y-yes Kurama, you do! I feel…much better...Thank you!" She said with a shaky voice as she threw herself on him again. It seems she was more comfortable that way, so this time he let it be but he didn't hold her back being a gentleman. She cried again on his chest clinging onto his shirt. He noticed that she had calmed down a bit. He felt quite relieved but not totally as he was starting to have mixed and unknown emotions building up within him. His mind was wondering badly so as to who made her so crestfallen. If only he knew who and why, he would make him repay. "I would make him suffer tenfold than my deity had suffered." He thought angrily as he clenched his fist. "My deity..." it had befallen on him. "No, wait! What are you thinking calling her your deity? She is not yours!! She's...she is...Botan, right! Just Botan..."

"K-Kurama...I...I feel you're quivering..." she said feeling the red-haired guy as he suppressed his anger while her head was still half hidden on his chest.

Kurama looked down on the almost worn out figure of Botan as he loosened out. Botan slowly pulled away from his chest and sat back also a bit quivering from her crying.

"I'm sorry Botan! It's just that I can't help to see you so broken like this."

"I know you hated to see me cry and believe me Kurama...I hated to see myself like this as well, but as my tears began to fall it seems that I can't stop it. I have no control it! And...and I'm glad you're just around to keep me company. Thank you so much Kurama! You've made me feel better." Now, she was calm although she still quivers but she was calm now and tears have stopped falling from her eyes.

Kurama gave out a sigh of relief as he stared at her. It was really heart-breaking seeing her cry like that. Then it was followed by an awkward and eerie silent. Kurama for the second time have no idea how to break the ice but Botan saved her.

"Kurama..."

"Y-yes! What's the matter Botan?" She was looking down as if avoiding to look at his face and there's something in her voice that made him worry again and there it was. He saw silent tears began to fall from her eyes again as she bowed herself lower keeping him to see her tear-drenched face. She didn't moved but she was shivering badly from the cold of the night and as well as from suppressing her grief for a while. She didn't throw herself onto him this time.

"If..i-if y-you couldn't bear seeing me c-cry like this, y-you may l-leav..." she couldn't even finish her word as her voice began to crack and fade.

She was crying profusely again but she was holding her pace leaving Kurama to do nothing but to stare and he can't bear it. He couldn't just do nothing while she cries helplessly. He's been hurting as well just seeing her like that. And so, he moved closer to her and suddenly pulled her into him, this time locking his arms around her. He embraced her ever so tightly while Botan cling onto his shirt. He's hoping to ease her pain...his pain. It doesn't matter now how abrupt he moved around her neither does he care what she may think anymore. All he knows is that he just needed to be here for her at this very moment at this very place and he don't want to be anywhere on this world than to be by her side. He wanted to be with her more than anything, just with her...his deity.


End file.
